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Unit 1 The Science of Food
be familiar with concepts from traditional science courses—biology,
chemistry, and physics. You need to be acquainted with food prepa-
ration principles. You need to be informed about health topics, such as
physical fi tness and the functions of body systems. An understanding
of basic algebra concepts will help you complete many food science
experiments. You will also use technical writing skills to list procedures
and record observations. Developing these skills through your study
of food science will prepare you for many careers.
Having basic nutrition knowledge will also help you in your study
of food science. Nutrition is the study of food components and their
use by the body to sustain life and health. Nutrition focuses on what
happens to foods after you eat them. On the other hand, food science
also focuses on what happens to foods before you eat them. Food
scientists need to understand how the body converts food products
into usable nutrients. This enables the scientists to develop foods
that will meet the body’s nutritional needs.
Food science is a hands-on course. Most people learn best by
doing. You can observe many of the principles of food science fi rst-
hand through experimentation. As you work with food products in
experiments, you will better understand the scientifi c aspects of food
preparation principles. You will learn why and how the ingredients
in a recipe work together to make the foods you enjoy each day.
A Brief History
Imagine a world where an orange is so rare and expensive it is
viewed as a highly valued gift. Do you fi nd it hard to picture being
excited about eating an orange? Prior to World War II, fresh oranges
were uncommon in most of the United States. Prior to World War I,
most people could preserve foods only by drying, salting, or pickling.
Fresh produce was available only during the few short months of
the growing season. A life without machinery made the planting,
harvesting, and preparing of food long, hard work. Laura Ingalls
Wilder’s book Farmer Boy gives the following perspective of a young
boy in the late 1800s:
Then the rush of harvest came. There was no rest and
no play for anyone now. They all worked from candlelight
to candlelight. Everything must be saved, nothing wasted
of the summer’s bounty.
The struggle to meet daily food needs exists today in many
countries. However, life in the United States has changed dramatically
since the 1800s. Then, 9 of every 10 people were farmers. Today, tech-
nology makes it possible to produce enough food for 100 with only
2 people.
Three Periods in the Development of Food
The history of food can be examined in three broad periods. The
fi rst period focuses on food discoveries of early peoples. The second